1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shoe, more particularly to a waterproof shoe which has an elastic and stretchable top open end.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional sock-like lining 1 used to line an upper of a shoe. The sock-like lining 1 has a tongue portion 101 which is pleated at two side parts 1011. The lining 1 includes a waterproof breathable membrane layer so that, when it is used in a waterproof shoe, it permits ventilation, in addition to providing waterproofing characteristics.
However, the lining 1 entails the following drawbacks:
1. Since the stretchability of the waterproof breathable membrane is limited, the tongue portion 101 of the lining 1 must be pleated at two side parts 1011 to provide a larger opening for the entry of the wearer""s foot. Since the pleated side parts 1011 require an increased quantity of the waterproof breathable material and since the waterproof breathable material is generally expensive as compared with the other sheet materials used for making shoes, the use of the lining 1 can increase the cost of the shoe material. On the other hand, the pleated tongue portion 101 can produce pressure on the instep of the wearer""s foot and cause discomfort to the wearer""s foot.
2. The lining 1 is in the form of a loop which defines an opening at the top end of the lining 1. Since the waterproof breathable membrane has limited stretchability, the breathable membrane can run the risk of breaking when the wearer overly stretches the lining 1, thus impairing the waterproofing characteristics of the lining 1.
3. In extremely cold weather areas, it is common to insert an interior shoe into a waterproof shoe to keep warmness within the shoe. The conventional waterproof shoe incorporating such a lining 1 is generally inconvenient for insertion or removal of the interior shoe due to the insufficient stretchability of the lining 1.
An object of this invention is to provide a shoe with a waterproof breathable lining which incorporates an elastic part, thereby eliminating the need to pleat the lining while still providing a stretchable opening to facilitate entry of the wearer""s foot.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a shoe which comprises: an upper having a first top end and a first notched edge extending downward from the first top end; an inner lining disposed inside the upper, and having a second top end and a second notched edge extending downwards from the second top end and being substantially in alignment with the first notched edge; a substantially sock-like waterproof lining made of a waterproof breathable membrane and disposed between the upper and the inner lining, the waterproof lining having a third top end and a third notched edge extending downwards from the third top end and being in alignment with the first notched edge; an elastic part to span the first, second and third notched edges, and having an outer layer and an inner layer both of which are elastic and stretchable, the outer and inner layers including top ends connected to each other, the inner layer having a peripheral edge extending downward from the top end of the inner layer and attached to the second notched edge, thus forming an inner seam, the outer layer having a peripheral edge extending downward from the top end of the outer layer and attached to the first notched edge, thus forming an outer seam, the third notched edge of the waterproof lining being attached to one of the first and second notched edges along one of the inner and outer seams; and a watertight sealing member to seal at least one of the inner and outer seams.